20-year-old held for killing ‘partner’

Bhardwaj lived on the 26th floor of Rustomjee Elanza’s C wing. When Bhardwaj did not respond to phone calls,his parents went to his residence around 9.30 pm on October 16,opened the door using a duplicate key and found Bhardwaj lying in a pool of blood in the bedroom. He had injuries on the neck and stomach.

Bhardwaj had got acquainted with Siddiqui,a window cleaner,when the latter worked on windows at Rustomjee Elanza,police said. The two had met and had an affair. Around 10 pm on October 15,Bhardwaj called up Siddiqui and asked him to come home,after which the duo had some food and drank three bottles of beer.

Siddiqui,a resident of Govandi,told police that Bhardwaj had tried to force himself on him. Mahesh Patil,deputy commissioner of police (zone 11). In a fit of rage,Siddiqui murdered Bhardwaj with his work tools,police said.

Bhardwaj’s laptop,at least one of his three cellphones and a pouch were missing from his residence. “The panchnama had revealed that there was an unsuccessful attempt to open a cupboard in his parent’s room,” said Patil.

“Siddiqui had picked up the laptop and phone as he was afraid that we would be able to establish his identity through his pictures or videos on the gadgets. After taking the cash,Siddiqui had dumped the pouch on a footpath at Andheri. It was spotted by an autorickshaw driver,leading to Bhardwaj’s body being found. We are probing if there was a monetary angle to the scuffle between Bhardwaj and Siddiqui. The murder weapon and valuables are yet to be recovered. Siddiqui has been booked on charges of murder and robbery. He was produced before a local court Friday and remanded in police custody,” said Patil.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com

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